


More than friends

by Chalichi



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Confident Daryl, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, nervous Jesus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 15:48:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8806867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chalichi/pseuds/Chalichi
Summary: Jesus shook his head.“No… No he haven't done anything. But I'm… I… I don't know how to say this!” Jesus groaned dropping his head down on his knees in frustration. Glenn got down from the table and sat down on the floor beside Jesus.“Come on man, what's up?” “I think I'm… Kind of falling… For him…” Jesus mustered slowly. “Oh shit.” Glenn breathed.  Jesus is falling for his roommate. He decides to talk to a mutual friend about it.





	

“I just don't see the big deal about it!” Daryl said with a shrug looking down at the newspaper in front of him.

Jesus gaped I horror staring at Daryl like he'd just told him that he liked drowning kittens on his pastime.  
“Because they're great movies!” He explained. 

“So is omen, but I don't get offended every time I talk to someone who haven't seen it.”

Jesus and Daryl had been arguing about The Nightmare before Christmas for the last half hour. Or Jesus had been arguing with Daryl on why he hadn't seen the it yet. 

“No, I get that! But come on! The nightmare before Christmas is a huge deal! It's a classic!” 

Daryl looked up from the newspaper straight at Jesus. “I really don't think so. The movies is about what – a skeleton who's obsessed with Christmas?” 

Jesus shrugged and nodded. “Yeah pretty much, but there's so much more in the storyline then that! And the music! There's great songs in it!” 

Daryl shook his head and went back to flipping the pages in the newspaper. “Nah, doesn't sound like a movie I'd like to see. Not a big fan of musicals.” 

Jesus stood up and groaned in frustration. “What, like omen’s storyline is that much better? A child who's possessed by the devil?” 

“Technically the child IS the devil, but yea, pretty much.” Daryl mumbled, his attention still in the newspaper. 

Jesus sighed and walked past Daryl to the sink and grabbed a glass of water. 

“Could you at least give it a shot sometime?” Jesus asked turning around, facing Daryl's back. 

Daryl lifted his head from the newspaper and turned around to look at Jesus. 

“Would it shut you up if I agreed to so it?” Daryl asked gruffly, but there was a hint of a smirk on his lips. 

Jesus smiled sweetly at him. “Yes. Yes it would. We can watch it together. And I will watch omen with you. You know, fair trade.” He said. 

Daryl nodded. “Deal! Now, can I read this in peace?” Daryl said gesturing to the newspaper. 

“You can. I'm on my way to Glenn anyway.” Jesus said, starting to walk out of the kitchen. “I'll be back tonight, not sure when though.” 

“Aight, I won't wait up then.” Daryl called after him. 

Jesus laughed and walked out of their apartment. 

*

He and Daryl had been living together for about six months now. He had been rooming with Glenn at first, but after things had gotten serious with him and Maggie they'd decided they wanted to live together. And Glenn had moved out, leaving Jesus to search for a new roommate. 

After he'd been searching for three weeks or so without any luck Rick – a mutual friend to Jesus and Glenn - had told him he knew a guy who searched for a place. Jesus had been hesitant about it at first, but after weighing his options about most clearly having to sell his car to be able to afford food he agreed to meet the guy. 

The guy was nothing like he'd expected. He was gruff, unkept and something about his just screamed wild. Not someone he'd though Rick would be friends with.  
But under that gruff exterior he actually was a down to earth and a genuinely nice guy, and him and Jesus immediately got along. 

That was six months ago. And as the time had passed he and Daryl had gotten even closer, and with their growing friendship other feelings had began to stir in Jesus for the other man. Feelings he didn't want to have. Not that it was any bad feelings, but more because he was sure the other guy wouldn't return them.  
He couldn't picture Daryl to have a thing for guys. It wasn't like Daryl had brought home anyone since he'd started living with Jesus, and they hadn't really talked about relationships, but Jesus still had a feeling that he and Daryl didn't played for the same team. 

Jesus sighed deeply and started to walk up the steps to Glenn's apartment.  
Glenn had asked him to come and help him to wrap up some gifts for Maggie's birthday. Jesus had accepted and took it as an opportunity to talk to Glenn about his problem with Daryl. 

He knocked at the door and walked straight in, the door was open and Glenn already knew he was coming so he didn't bother waiting for Glenn to come and open.

“Jesus? I'm in the living room!” Came Glenn's voice in the other room.

“I'll be right there.” He said and took his shoes and coat off before walking in. 

He found Glenn in the middle of the living room floor surrounded by gift wrappings and boxes in various sizes. 

“Oh my god! What did you do? Buy the whole store for her? Where have you been hiding these?” Jesus exclaimed. 

“I might have overdone myself this time.” Glenn said looking around at the mountain of boxes.  
“I just want her to be happy.” He said shrugging. 

“I'm sure she will be thrilled.” He said with and amused smile. “But that doesn't answer the important question. Where have you been hiding this?” He laughed. 

“You'd be surprised how much closet space I have!” He said laughing with him. 

“I bet.” Jesus said sitting down in front of Glenn carefully not to sit on the gift wrappers or scissors.  
“So how do you want to do this?” 

Glenn looked around at the packages with a frown.  
“I have no idea. I was kinda hoping you know how to wrap gifts up, cause I have no clue. I always make my mom wrap gifts up.” 

Jesus raised his eyebrows at Glenn.  
“Okey, so you thought you'd invite me here and let me do all the work?” 

Glenn looked at Jesus and shrugged. 

“Fine. I'll show you.” Jesus said and picked out a package and started to wrap it while Glenn watched him. 

They sat in silence, the only sound that could be heard was the rustle of paper.  
Glenn tried his best after Jesus showed him how to wrap up two gifts, they wasn't as good as Jesus, but they weren't all that bad. 

When the last gift was wrapped Jesus stretched his legs out on the floor and laid himself down on the floor with a groan.  
“That's it! I'm not doing that again!” He said and heard Glenn laughing as he picked up the gifts and started putting them away. 

When he came back he handed Jesus a can of coke which Jesus gratefully accepted and sat up. 

“Thanks man! I couldn't have done it without you.” Glenn said sincerely. 

“No problem. Don't buy so much next time though.” He said tiredly, absently scratching his neatly trimmed beard.

“Nah! Next time I'll just get her a car or something!” He laughed. 

Jesus smiled and opened his coke and took a sip.  
“Can I ask you something?” Jesus said looking at Glenn. 

Glenn to a seat on the coffee table in front of him and nodded.  
“Sure. What's the matter?” 

Jesus took a deep breath trying to sort out how he should present the subject.  
“You know Daryl right?” He said. 

Glenn raised his eyebrows, clearly not suspecting the question to be about the gruff man.  
“Yes. What about him? Have he done something?” 

Jesus shook his head.  
“No… No he haven't done anything. But I'm… I… I don't know how to say this!” Jesus groaned dropping his head down on his knees in frustration. 

Glenn got down from the table and sat down on the floor beside Jesus.  
“Come on man, what's up?” 

“I think I'm… Kind of falling… For him…” Jesus mustered slowly. 

“Oh shit.” Glenn breathed. 

Jesus took a shaky breath and turned his head toward Glenn who were looking at him with a sad expression. 

“Yeah, I know. Of all people right?”He sighed. Glenn nodded and took a sip from his own coke.

“Have you talked with him about it?” He asked after a while. 

“NO!” Jesus exclaimed eyes wide in horror. 

“I think you should.” Glenn said and patted his shoulder awkwardly. 

“What? How? I can't just blurt out ‘hey man. I think I might be in love with you or whatever. We're still cool right?’ He will beat my ass through the ground.” 

Glenn started laughing at that, drawing Jesus with him.

“No, maybe not like that. But you should talk to him.” 

“I know. But how? What do I say.” Jesus said weakly. 

Glenn grew silent for a while before answering.  
“Look, I'm no expert. Especially not when it comes to guy on guy relationships, but I know Daryl likes you as a friend. And I doubt he would hate your guts for liking him. So, just be honest with him and see where to go from there. That's the only advice I can give you.” 

Jesus looked down at the can in his hands, twirling it around while he thought about what Glenn had said.  
He really hoped he was right, because he really didn't want to loose his and Daryl's friendship just because he had to have these stupid feelings for the guy. 

He nodded and got up from the floor. He thanked Glenn for the coke and for the advice.  
“Maggie should be home any minute now, do you want to stay for dinner?” Glenn asked him. 

Jesus shook his head and started walking towards the kitchen to put his can down on counter.  
“No, I should get home. It's getting late and I have a lot to think about right now. Won't be the best company.” He said as he started putting his shoes on. 

“Alright. Call me if anything happens ok?” 

“I will.” Jesus said. He grabbed his coat and waved a goodbye to Glenn and walked out. 

It had grown a little colder outside since he'd gotten to Glenn's place. He folded his arms around himself to shield himself from the wind.  
He really hoped the walk home would help to sort out the jumbled mess in his head. 

*

When he walked in through the door Daryl sat on the couch flipping through channels. He had a beer in his hand and a there was a plate on the table. 

“Hey! You're home early.”  
Daryl said when he heard Jesus walk in. 

“Yeah. Didn't take as long as I thought.” He said and took a seat next to Daryl.  
“Did you leave some food for me?” 

Daryl put the remote down when the screen were showing a re-run of the Simpsons. Jesus had seen that particular episode at least ten times before. 

“Yeah. There's a plate for you in the fridge.” He said looking over at Jesus. 

Jesus could feel his heart skip a beat when Daryl's intense gaze landed on him.  
The walk home hadn't helped him come to any conclusion at all.  
He didn't know how to tell the other man how he felt without it sounding awkward or wrong. 

“You ok Paul? You look funny.” Daryl said and Jesus realized he'd been lost in thoughts while staring directly at Daryl. 

“Yeah! I'm fine.” He said snapping out of his trance. 

Daryl watched him curiously for a while, then he shook his head and turned his attention back to the tv again.  
Jesus walked into the kitchen and took the plate of food out from the fridge. 

He put his plate in the microwave and started heating his dinner up.  
He groaned and rubbed his hands across his face.  
This crush thing would drive him insane.  
He was just lucky Daryl hadn't noticed anything already. 

Jesus almost jumped out of his skin when microwave beeped and told him his dinner was ready.  
Cursing under his breath he put on a mitt and took his plate out.  
He returned to the living room and plopped down next to Daryl again.

“Isn't there anything else on?” He asked.

Daryl handed Jesus the remote and went out to the kitchen to grab another beer.  
“Watch whatever you want. Isn't like we haven't seen it all already.” He said.

Jesus flipped through the channels, and after a while of zapping he suited on the Simpson episode Daryl had been watching.  
Daryl came back and chuckled.  
“What did I tell you.” 

“Shut up.” Jesus grumbled and continued eating his dinner. 

*

Jesus mind started racing miles away when he didn't have his dinner to focus on.  
The boring re-runs on the tv wasn't enough to distract him.  
Glenn's words kept on spinning in his head.  
‘Just tell him. I doubt he will hate you for liking him.’  
It sounded so easy. And he really wanted to do it, but he was to freaking nervous!  
Understandably so, since Daryl had become a really good friend and he didn't want to make it weird. But he couldn't ignore his feelings anymore. 

He sighed deeply and looked down at his hands.  
“Okey, what's the matter with you?” He heard Daryl say. 

He looked at Daryl a little startled.  
“What?” He said. 

“You've been sighing and moping since you got home from Glenn. And it's not just tonight when I think about it, you've been acting strange for weeks now.” 

Jesus was taken aback by the other mans words. He hadn't realized he had been acting different at all.  
“I'm sorry, it's really nothing.”  
‘You're such a liar Rovia.’

“Really. I know there's something up with you. You can tell me you know.” Daryl said with a sincere voice.

Jesus looked down at his hands again, fidgeting a little with his fingers.  
“I-I don't know if I can tell you to be honest.” 

Daryl shifted in the couch, so he could look at Jesus without straining his neck so much. 

“You don't have to, but looks like you need to talk to someone. This shit is eating you alive.” He said. 

Jesus dared to meet Daryl's gaze, and he actually looked worried.  
Jesus swallowed thickly.  
“I-I talked to Glenn about it today.” He said, voice wavering a little. 

“Yeah? What did he say?” 

Jesus chuckled sadly.  
“That I should grab the bull by its horns, or something similar.” 

“Sounds like a plan.” Daryl said taking a deep sip from his beer.  
“I think you should do it too, don't know what it is about, but anyway.”

“I don't know it that would be so smart.” Jesus mumbled. 

Daryl watched him for a few seconds, making Jesus shiver slightly. It felt like Daryl was a hawk and Jesus was its prey, which he didn't though was entirely unpleasant. 

“Is it really that bad?” Daryl asked.  
“Have you done something?” 

“No! Nothing like that. It's just hard to talk about… With you. I don't want you to take it the wrong way.” Jesus tried to explain. 

“Well If you don't tell me I will take it the wrong way.” He said.  
“Not to pressure you or anything, but do you have any idea how you sound right now?” He added. 

Jesus heart beat so hard he was convinced it could be seen through his shirt.  
He tried to calm himself down by counting backwards from ten, only to forgetting which number he was on and had to start over again. 

Once he'd calmed down a little he dared to look back at Daryl again, who were still watching him with that intense stare. But the corners of his mouth were twitching, like he actually found it amusing to see Jesus like this. 

“Okay… I will tell you. But you have to promise to not get mad okay?” 

Daryl put his beer down and folded his arms in his lap to give Jesus his full attention.  
“I'll promise to try to not get mad.” He said. 

Jesus didn't feel assured by that, but went with it anyway.  
“Fine.. I think I'm falling for someone. A friend actually. And it's freaking me out because I'm convinced he won't like me back.” Jesus said rushed. 

He could see Daryl process everything Jesus had told him. 

“Aha. Do I know this friend.”  
Daryl knew Jesus didn't have many friends outside their circle of friends, but there was a few. 

“Yes you do. Quite well actually.” He said, slowly relaxing due to Daryl calm demeanor. 

“Is it Rick?” He asked with a slight grimace. 

“No! But it could be. He looks quite nice.” Jesus said, quite enjoying this little game. 

“Nah. He looks too preppy. You guys would be an awful couple.” He said with a wave of his hand. 

Jesus laughed at his comment, mostly because it was true. 

“Alright, not Rick. It's not Glenn right?” He said eyes going wide. 

“Oh god no!” Paul laughed. 

“Good! Cause he's even worse than Rick!” He started. 

Daryl went through the rest of their mutual friends, growing more impatient by the minute of only getting negative responses from the smaller man. 

“That's the last one! Have you gotten straight on me Rovia?!” Daryl all but shouted. 

“I swear you're forgetting one!” Jesus giggled, his stomach hurting from laughing so hard. 

“No there isn't.” Daryl pressed. “I've counted them twice!” 

He leaned back in the couch, resting his back on the armrest and groaned in frustration. 

“There is. And I swear, you know him better than anyone.” Jesus said quietly when he'd stopped laughing. 

He could practically hear the gears grind in Daryl's brain as he thought of what Jesus had said. 

Suddenly he shoot up in a seated position looking at Jesus with eyes comically wide. 

“No… No… You're… What… You serious right now?” He stuttered. 

Jesus crept backwards as far as the couch allowed.  
“I'm so so sorry Daryl. I really tried not to I promise…” He rambled. 

“I'm not mad.” Daryl said. “I'm really not, it would be really stupid of me to be mad.” 

Jesus was so shocked with what he just heard Daryl say, he just sat and gaped at him. 

“You still there?” Daryl said, waving a hand in Jesus face. 

“Yes, sorry. What?” Jesus blurted.

Daryl huffed a breath before answering.  
“I said it would be really stupid of me to be mad at you, since I like you too. So you were wrong.” 

Jesus could feel all sorts of emotions running through him at once.  
Happiness, relief, shock and confusion. But mostly happiness. 

“You do? But I-I though…” 

“You thought what? That I was straight?” Daryl cut him off. “Nah, just not as talkative about it as you are. Not anyone's business but mine of who I like. I didn't think you would be into me, that's why I haven't made a move on you.” 

Jesus couldn't stop the ridiculously large smile from forming on his lips, threatening to split his face in half. 

“So, what now?” He asked after they'd stared at each other stupidly for a few minutes. 

“Is it okay if I kiss you?” Daryl asked. 

That was the single best thing he'd heard the older man ask him.  
“Yes, it is.” Jesus said. 

They leaned against each other, their lips brushing together tentatively at first.  
Until Jesus surged forward and locked their lips together for real. 

Daryl was the one to take the next step and brushed his tongue against Jesus lower lip.  
Jesus groaned and opened his mouth up a little to grant him more access.  
Jesus felt like his whole body should explode by the surge of emotions running through him.  
It was like a dream come true. 

When they finally broke apart for air they just sat and gazed at each other.  
A thought stroke Jesus that made him chuckle slightly, braking the moment a little.

“What's so funny?” Daryl asked, grabbing his hand and entwined their fingers. 

“I just thought about the talk I had with Glenn today.”  
Daryl shot him a curious look and he continued.  
“If I hadn't talked with him today we wouldn't been sitting here holding hands right now.”

Daryl huffed a little and gave Jesus knuckles a small kiss.  
“You're probably right. You should thank him” he said.

Jesus shifted closer to Daryl, laying his head on his shoulder.  
“I will. Tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> So, I wanted to write something cute and sweet. I really hope I succeeded.  
> I'm not sure how I liked the ending, but i couldn't think of another way to end it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my try of a happy story! :)


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